One month on: Mozambique “like a war zone”

One month on from devastating Cyclone Idai, Oxfam
and its local partner organisations in Mozambique are still
finding thousands of isolated people cut off from any aid or
rescue.

Only a few days ago, Oxfam embarked on a
24-hour journey via car, motorbike and canoe into isolated
communities in Zambézia, the province North of Beira, as
part of the COSACA[1] consortium and in partnership with
local organisation CECOHAS[2]. The team found some 2,000 people in
Gentivo in desperate need, with an estimated 4,000 more
remaining without access.

Up to that point, the
community had had no contact with outside help and were
surviving off dates, coconuts and a few small fish they
could catch.

Dorothy Sang, Oxfam’s Humanitarian
Advocacy Manager based in Mozambique, said that Oxfam and
other international agencies are now planning an air drop of
life-saving supplies into Gentivo.

“The tragedy
is that Gentivo is not an anomaly,” said Sang. “We know
there are many more people still out there cut off from
help. The further we spread into hard-to-reach areas, the
more people in need we are going to find. These are areas
that have not necessarily been hit hardest by the disaster,
but the people are already living in chronic poverty and now
face huge challenges to survive. They risk becoming utterly
forgotten.”

Oxfam and its local partners in
Mozambique have so far reached over 50,000 people with clean
water, emergency supplies and public health activities to
help stop the spread of cholera. There have been more than
4000 recorded cases of cholera to date. But with an
estimated 1.85m people affected, many of whom are still
stranded and isolated, and a lack of international funding,
Oxfam is concerned that thousands may not receive the
emergency help they need.

“People have given
money so generously in many countries to enable Oxfam and
other agencies to act quickly to help”, said Sang.
“However, a month in, we are still realising the full
shocking extent of this disaster. Some places look like a
war zone. We are still finding survivors in desperate need.
Humanitarian resources are already running out. Aid agencies
need to be adequately resourced to respond to what is
becoming an overwhelming crisis. The international funding
appeal is [USD] $282m, but governments have only pledged
$60m so far. If more is not made available soon, thousands
of people may be forgotten.”

Oxfam New Zealand’s
executive director Rachael Le Mesurier said Oxfam New
Zealand is asking for donations from the public to meet the
most urgent needs of people affected by the devastating
cyclone. “Given the scale of this disaster, there is a
serious lack of funding for the thousands of people who have
lost everything and are still at immediate risk,” she
said.

“We are getting aid to communities however
we can – by plane, truck, boat or canoe – but the damage
is so extensive that in some cases aid workers are arriving
to the correct map coordinates and finding nothing. The
village no longer exists.

“Many survivors are
still in dire need of short-term urgent support and
resources like clean water, disease prevention, food and
shelter. Knowing that many of the people affected were
already living precariously, Oxfam is concerned about the
long-term tragedy that could unfold if we don’t act
quickly. Significant funding is needed to ensure those
affected can get back on their feet as quickly as
possible.”

Sang said: “The scandal and the
tragedy – as ever – is that poor communities are
suffering most. The international community needs to stand
in solidarity with those affected and get funding to
organisations on the ground right now, including local
organisations who are well positioned to reach people we
know are feeling utterly abandoned. This humanitarian
response must not be allowed to unravel for lack of
support.”

Scoop Citizen Members and ScoopPro Organisations are the lifeblood of Scoop.

20 years of independent publishing is a milestone, but your support is essential to keep Scoop thriving. We are building on our offering with new In-depth Engaged Journalism platform - thedig.nz.
Find out more and join us:

ALSO:

The Prime Minister has briefed Cabinet colleagues that the government will bring forward an ambitious new legislative programme for MPs’ approval, and that the current parliamentary session will be brought to an end. More>>

ALSO:

Traditionally, communiques capture the consensus reached at the meeting. In this case, the division on display between Australia and the Pacific meant the only commitment is to commission yet another report into what action needs to be taken. More>>